1 And Ben-hadad the king of Syria gathered all his host together: and there were thirty and two kings with him, and horses, and chariots: and he went up and besieged Samaria, and warred against it. 2 And he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel into the city, and said unto him, Thus saith Ben-hadad, 3 Thy silver and thy gold is mine; thy wives also and thy children, even the goodliest, are mine. 4 And the king of Israel answered and said, My lord, O king, according to thy saying, I am thine, and all that I have. 5 And the messengers came again, and said, Thus speaketh Ben-hadad, saying, Although I have sent unto thee, saying, Thou shalt deliver me thy silver, and thy gold, and thy wives, and thy children; 6 Yet I will send my servants unto thee to morrow about this time, and they shall search thine house, and the houses of thy servants; and it shall be, that whatsoever is pleasant in thine eyes, they shall put it in their hand, and take it away. 7 Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land, and said, Mark, I pray you, and see how this man seeketh mischief: for he sent unto me for my wives, and for my children, and for my silver, and for my gold; and I denied him not. 8 And all the elders and all the people said unto him, Hearken not unto him , nor consent. 9 Wherefore he said unto the messengers of Ben-hadad, Tell my lord the king, All that thou didst send for to thy servant at the first I will do: but this thing I may not do. And the messengers departed, and brought him word again. 10 And Ben-hadad sent unto him, and said, The gods do so unto me, and more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people that follow me. 11 And the king of Israel answered and said, Tell him , Let not him that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that putteth it off.
12 And it came to pass, when Ben-hadad heard this message, as he was drinking, he and the kings in the pavilions, that he said unto his servants, Set yourselves in array . And they set themselves in array against the city.
13 ¶ And, behold, there came a prophet unto Ahab king of Israel, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou seen all this great multitude? behold, I will deliver it into thine hand this day; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD. 14 And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Even by the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall order the battle? And he answered, Thou. 15 Then he numbered the young men of the princes of the provinces, and they were two hundred and thirty two: and after them he numbered all the people, even all the children of Israel, being seven thousand. 16 And they went out at noon. But Ben-hadad was drinking himself drunk in the pavilions, he and the kings, the thirty and two kings that helped him. 17 And the young men of the princes of the provinces went out first; and Ben-hadad sent out, and they told him, saying, There are men come out of Samaria. 18 And he said, Whether they be come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they be come out for war, take them alive. 19 So these young men of the princes of the provinces came out of the city, and the army which followed them. 20 And they slew every one his man: and the Syrians fled; and Israel pursued them: and Ben-hadad the king of Syria escaped on an horse with the horsemen. 21 And the king of Israel went out, and smote the horses and chariots, and slew the Syrians with a great slaughter.
22 ¶ And the prophet came to the king of Israel, and said unto him, Go, strengthen thyself, and mark, and see what thou doest: for at the return of the year the king of Syria will come up against thee. 23 And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him, Their gods are gods of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we; but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they. 24 And do this thing, Take the kings away, every man out of his place, and put captains in their rooms: 25 And number thee an army, like the army that thou hast lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot: and we will fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they. And he hearkened unto their voice, and did so. 26 And it came to pass at the return of the year, that Ben-hadad numbered the Syrians, and went up to Aphek, to fight against Israel. 27 And the children of Israel were numbered, and were all present, and went against them: and the children of Israel pitched before them like two little flocks of kids; but the Syrians filled the country.
28 ¶ And there came a man of God, and spake unto the king of Israel, and said, Thus saith the LORD, Because the Syrians have said, The LORD is God of the hills, but he is not God of the valleys, therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thine hand, and ye shall know that I am the LORD. 29 And they pitched one over against the other seven days. And so it was, that in the seventh day the battle was joined: and the children of Israel slew of the Syrians an hundred thousand footmen in one day. 30 But the rest fled to Aphek, into the city; and there a wall fell upon twenty and seven thousand of the men that were left. And Ben-hadad fled, and came into the city, into an inner chamber.
31 ¶ And his servants said unto him, Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings: let us, I pray thee, put sackcloth on our loins, and ropes upon our heads, and go out to the king of Israel: peradventure he will save thy life. 32 So they girded sackcloth on their loins, and put ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel, and said, Thy servant Ben-hadad saith, I pray thee, let me live. And he said, Is he yet alive? he is my brother. 33 Now the men did diligently observe whether any thing would come from him, and did hastily catch it: and they said, Thy brother Ben-hadad. Then he said, Go ye, bring him. Then Ben-hadad came forth to him; and he caused him to come up into the chariot. 34 And Ben-hadad said unto him, The cities, which my father took from thy father, I will restore; and thou shalt make streets for thee in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria. Then said Ahab , I will send thee away with this covenant. So he made a covenant with him, and sent him away.
35 ¶ And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said unto his neighbour in the word of the LORD, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man refused to smite him. 36 Then said he unto him, Because thou hast not obeyed the voice of the LORD, behold, as soon as thou art departed from me, a lion shall slay thee. And as soon as he was departed from him, a lion found him, and slew him. 37 Then he found another man, and said, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man smote him, so that in smiting he wounded him . 38 So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with ashes upon his face. 39 And as the king passed by, he cried unto the king: and he said, Thy servant went out into the midst of the battle; and, behold, a man turned aside, and brought a man unto me, and said, Keep this man: if by any means he be missing, then shall thy life be for his life, or else thou shalt pay a talent of silver. 40 And as thy servant was busy here and there, he was gone. And the king of Israel said unto him, So shall thy judgment be; thyself hast decided it . 41 And he hasted, and took the ashes away from his face; and the king of Israel discerned him that he was of the prophets. 42 And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Because thou hast let go out of thy hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore thy life shall go for his life, and thy people for his people. 43 And the king of Israel went to his house heavy and displeased, and came to Samaria.
Ovita pokati kooAhab na Benhadad
1 Benhadad, ombara ya Sirie, wa woronganisa ovimbumba vye avihe vyovita. Eye we rikuta kumwe nozombara zarwe omirongo vitatu na mbari, noukambe nomatemba wawo wovita. Eye wa ya na kakovera otjihuro tja Samaria ne ketjirwisa. 2 Eye wa hinda ovahindwa kotjihuro ku Ahab, ombara ya Israel, 3 okukemutjivisa nai: “Ombara Benhadad wa tja nai: ‘Osilveri nongoldo yoye ovyandje. Ovakazendu voye, imba ovawa tjinene, novanatje voye, imba ovanamasa, owo wina ovandje.’ ”
4 Ahab wa zira a tja: “Raera omuhona wandje, ombara Benhadad, kutja ami mba itavere kembo re. Eye nge ndji ise po owe na avihe mbi mbi na vyo.”
5 Kombunda yanao ovatumwa va Benhadad va kotoka rukwao ku Ahab nave tja nai: “Ami mbe ku hindire ombuze yokutja u ndji pe osilveri nongoldo yoye, novakazendu novanatje voye! 6 Nungwari nambano ami me hindi ovakarere vandje kutja ve hite mondjuwo yoye youhona na mozondjuwo zovakarere voye okupaha nawanawa nokutja ve toore ovihuze ovinanḓengu ngamwa avihe. Owo mave ya mbo mangara moruveze tjingero ndwi muhuka.”
7 Ombara Ahab wa isana ovanane avehe mehi na tja ku wo: “Eṋe mamu munu kutja omurumendu ngwi ma vanga okutunyona. Eye wa hinda ombuze ame ndji ṋiṋikiza kutja mbi mu pe ovakazendu novanatje vandje, nosilveri nongoldo yandje; nami mba itavera.”
8 Nungwari imba ovanane avehe notjiwaṋa atjihe va zira ave tja: “O puratene ku ye; panḓa!”
9 Nu Ahab opa zirira nai kovatumwa va Benhadad: “Karaereye komuhona wandje ombara kutja ami mba itavera komaningiriro we inga omatenga, nungwari hi nokuitavera ko ku inga oyetjavari.”
Imba ovatumwa va yaruka nave twara eziriro ndi ku Benhadad.
10 Benhadad ope mu tjivisira nai na tja: “Ami me eta ovarumendu, mba yenene okuyandeka otjihuro tjoye hi, nokutoora ovitekero vyatjo momake wawo. Oomukuru vovisenginina ngave ndji zepe, ami tji mbi ha tjitire nao.”
11 Ombara Ahab wa zira na tja: “Raera kombara Benhadad kutja omurwe wovita omusemba u rihiva ovita tji vya kapita, nungwari ke rihivi komurungu wavyo.”
12 Benhadad wa zuva eziriro ra Ahab, eye noverikutevakumwe na ye, inḓa ozombara zarwe ngunda ava haama mozondanda zawo pomanwino. Eye wa rakiza kovandu ve kutja ve rirongere okukarwisa otjihuro. Owo arire tji ve rituṋu okukakurama potuveze twawo.
13 Nu mokamanga omuprofete worive otje ya kombara Ahab na tja ku ye: “Muhona ma tja nai: ‘O tira otjimbumba otjinene tjovita ho! Ndinondi ami me ku pe outoṋi kombanda yatjo. Nove otji mo tjiwa kutja ami owami ngu mbi ri Muhona.’ ”
14 Ahab wa pura na tja: “Owaṋi ngu ma hongorere otjirwa?”
Omuprofete wa zira a tja: “Muhona ma tja nai: ‘Ovarwe omitanda mbe ri kehi yozongooneya zotukondwa ombu mave hongora.’ ”
Nombara ya pura rukwao nai tja: “Owaṋi ngu ma hongorere otjimbumba tjovita otjinamasa?”
Nomuprofete wa zira nai: “Oove omuini.”
15 Ahab opa tukira ovarwe omitanda mbe ri kehi yovanane ovanene wOtukondwa; avehe kumwe va ri omasere yevari nomirongo vitatu na vevari. Tjazumba otja tuka otjimbumba tjovarwe vOvaisrael, avehe kumwe ovarumendu omayovi hambombari.
16 Otjirwa tja uta mutenya, Benhadad noverikutevakumwe na ye, inḓa ozombara omirongo vitatu na mbari, ngunda ava ṱomavinu mozondanda zawo. 17 Ovarwe omitanda wovita va tenga po okuryama komurungu. Ozohoze, nda hindwa i Benhadad, za kotoka naze serekarere ku ye kutja otjimbumba tjovita tja sekama okuza kOsamaria. 18 Benhadad wa rakiza nai: “Ve kambureye nomuinyo, nangarire kutja mave yendere okurwa poo okuningira ohange.”
19 Ovarwe omitanda va hongorera otjirwa amave kongorerwa i otjimbumba tjOvaisrael tjovita, 20 nu auhe wa zepa omundu nguyave ru kumwe. Ovasirie va tupuka, nOvaisrael ve ve ramba nomasa. Nungwari Benhadad wa tupuka, a kavire kokasinokambe ke ama kongorerwa i ovakavire tjiva. 21 Ombara Ahab wa kumuka, a i mokuti, a kakambura oukambe nomatemba wovita na katjita omanyoneno omanene kOvasirie.
Ovita ovitjavari vyOvasirie
22 Nomuprofete wa ya kombara Ahab na katja nai ku ye: “Twende nu kaworonganise rukwao otjimbumba tjoye tjovita, nu kakengeze nawa, orondu ombara ya Sirie mai ku rwisa rukwao mokuṋi kwombura, ndji mai yende.” 23 Ovahongore ovanene vombara Benhadad va tja nai ku ye: “Oomukuru vOvaisrael oomukuru wozondundu, nOvaisrael opu va za okutuhavera. Nungwari eṱe, tjiri, matu ve havere, tji twe ve rwisire motutjandja. 24 Nambano isa mo inḓa ozombara omirongo vitatu na mbari mounane wazo, nu motuveze twazo twa mo ovahongore ovanene varwe. 25 Woronganisa otjimbumba otjinene tjovita tji tji ṱeki pu imbi ovitenga. Matu rwisire Ovaisrael motutjandja, nu otjikando hi matu ve havere.”
Ombara Benhadad wa itavera na zuu komaronga wawo. 26 Nu mokuṋi kwombura ndja kongorera ndjo, Benhadad wa woronganisa ovarumendu ve na kumuka puna wo kotjihuro Afek okukarwisa Ovaisrael. 27 Ovaisrael wina va tukwa nave rongerisiwa nonguta; owo va kumuka nave katona ozondanda movimbumba vivari ouhunga nOvasirie. Ovaisrael aave munika tjimuna otupanda tuvari otuṱiṱi twozongombo, tji mave sasanekwa nOvasirie mba tandavara mehi arihe.
28 Omuprofete wa ya na katja nai kombara Ahab: “Muhona ma tja nai: ‘Ovasirie tjinga amave tja, ami owami omukuru wozondundu, nu kawami omukuru wotutjandja, ami otji me ku pe outoṋi kombanda yotjimbumba tjawo otjinene tjovita; nove notjiwaṋa tjoye otji mamu tjiwa kutja owami ngu mbi ri Muhona.’ ”
29 Oure womayuva hambombari Ovasirie nOvaisrael va kara mozondanda zawo ava hungamasana. Meyuva oritjahambombari otji va uta okurwa, nOvaisrael va zepa Ovasirie omayovi esere rimwe meyuva rimwe. 30 Nu imba mba hupa va tupuka nave kahita motjihuro Afek; norumbo rwotjihuro rwa wira kovandu omayovi omirongo vivari na hambombari vawo.
Benhadad wina wa tupuka na kahita motjihuro na kaṱara metuwo rondjuwo rokongotwe. 31 Ovahongore ve va ya ku ye nave katja nai: “Twa zuva kutja ozombara zOvaisrael ze notjari. Tu esa tu yende kombara yOvaisrael novipiriko pehuri, nozongoze mozosengo zetu. Ngahino ombara mai yama omuinyo woye.” 32 Owo otji ve rivaranga novipiriko vyawo pehuri, nozongoze mozosengo zawo, nave katja nai kombara Ahab: “Omukarere woye Benhadad we riyarikaṋene omuinyo we kove.”
Ahab wa zira nai: “Eye inga u nomuinyo are? Osemba! Eye u ri otja erumbi randje ku ami.”
33 Ovahongore va Benhadad ave undju otjiraisiro otjiwa; nu Ahab tja tja “erumbi”, owo otji va itavera nave tja: “otja pu mo hee, Benhadad eye erumbi roye!”
Ahab wa rakiza a tja: “Kemueteye ku ami!” Benhadad tje ya, Ahab we mu ṋanga kutja a ronde metemba rovita puna ye. 34 Benhadad wa tja nai ku ye: “Ami me ku kotorere ovihuro tate mbya huura ku iho, nove ritungira orupanda rwomarandero mOdamaskus tjimuna tate tja tjita mOsamaria.”
Nu Ahab wa zira na tja: “Momuano mbwi ami otji me ku kutura.” Eye otja tjita omakutasaneno na ye, ne mu esa kutja a yende.
Omuprofete worive ma pangura Ahab
35 Umwe wotjimbumba tjovaprofete wa tja nai komuprofete omukwao otja Muhona pe mu rakiza: “Ndji tona!” Nungwari omuprofete omukwao ngwi wa panḓa. 36 Neye opa tjera nai: “ove tjinga au ha karere nonḓuviro komarakiza wa Muhona, mo ṱongeyama kamanga tji wa zu pu ami mba.” Nu mokamanga eye tja ya, ongeyama otji ye ya nai mu zepa.
37 Tjazumba omuprofete tjingeye ngwi wa ya nai komurumendu warwe na katja nai: “Ndji tona!” Nomurumendu ngwi wa tjita nao; eye we mu tona tjinene nga tja hara ovirwaro. 38 Omuprofete we rimanga omurungu we nerapi okurihoreka, na kakurama posi yondjira ama undju ombara yOvaisrael tji mai kapita. 39 Ombara tji ya kapita, ingwi omuprofete wa ravaera ku yo na tja: “Muhona ombara, ami mba ri movita; nomurwe wovita worive wa eta omuhuurwa ku ami na tja: ‘Tjevera omurumendu ngwi; eye tja hene, ove mo sutu nomuinyo woye poo mo sutu osilveri yondjinda mangara omayovi yetatu.’ 40 Nungwari ami tji mba ri noviungura vyarwe, ingwi omurumendu otja hena.”
Nombara yOvaisrael ye mu zira nai tja: “Ove omuini wa tjivisa omberero yoye; nove mo i sutu.”
41 Omuprofete wa isa ko erapi nda ri komurungu we, nu kamanga ombara ye mu zemburuka kutja iumwe wovaprofete. 42 Nomuprofete arire tja tja nai kombara: “Muhona ma tja nai: ‘Ove tjinga awa isa omurumendu okuhena ngu mba rakiza kutja nga ṱe, nu otji mo sutu nomuinyo woye, notjiwaṋa tjoye matji nyonwa moruveze rwotjiwaṋa tje.’ ”
43 Ombara ya yaruka koyayo kOsamaria, ai nongendo nomazenge.
